Identification and Prevention of Accident Risks through the Development of Self-Analysis-of-Work Competencies among Industrial Workers

This paper presents the theoretical and methodological principles as well as some results of an action-research project conceived and implemented by work psychologists, in strict co-operation with a group of industrial workers of a medium size metallurgic company. Its objective was the identification and prevention of accident risks through the empowerment of a small group of workers with competencies of ergonomic self-analysis of their work. Worker's practice in real work situations was used as a stimulus for the (re)cognition of work competencies and working conditions by the workers themselves, process that was reinforced by moments of group discussion. All group sessions were recorded on videotape for further analysis. The first results obtained are quite satisfactory: a significant decrease in the number of accidents in the section; transformation proposals formulated by the workers themselves, some of which already implemented; a notorious enrichment of worker's verbalisations about the work situations concerned.